Dancing In the Rain
by CaseyL
Summary: Rayna has broken up with Luke, but is it too late for she and Deacon? One-shot.


**Another one-shot. Despite the fact that I have very little interest in watching season 3, my creative juices have been re-ignited where Deyna is concerned. Just a bit of angst followed by some sexy fluff. **

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Deacon put his guitar in the back of his truck and headed out towards Belle Meade. He hated it over there, but he knew he was heading there for a good reason. After his contract had run out he'd decided to try out a new label; one that would promote him better, and not have him playing any more songs on Luke Wheeler's tour. His manager had set it up that he was going to play at a small concert, just three labeless artists looking to pick up representation. Each would play two songs Opry style. It was being held at a record exec's house out in Belle Meade, and all the top execs from the major Nashville labels would be there.

A twinge of nerves hit Deacon as he headed across I-40. Not because he was worried about playing, he hadn't really been worried about playing in years. He knew he was good, and that his new material was top quality. No, it wasn't about his music, it was because he was sure Rayna would be there representing Highway 65. He hadn't seen her since their fight two weeks ago. It had been a month since she'd broken up with Luke just three days before their wedding. She'd shown up at Deacon's door one night trying to pull the same thing she'd done a year-and-a-half earlier, but this time Pam was there with him, and he'd told her under no uncertain terms that she was too late. He meant it when he'd said it, but when she'd left crying and he shut the door to go back to Pam he wasn't so sure anymore.

The last two weeks no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get her out of his mind. Every time he saw Maddie he thought what it would be like if they really were all a family, living together, never having to be apart, never having to miss things in his daughter's life like he did when Rayna was with Luke, or the years she was married to Teddy. He wouldn't be an outsider looking in on someone else's family. It would be his family, just like he'd always wanted, just like it should have been. He knew that part of him still really wanted that, but he also knew that Rayna had played with both his heart and his head one too many times, and he wasn't sure it would be worth it to go down that road again.

When he got there his manager was waiting for him out front. "Now they've got you up first Deacon, which I think is a good thing. You'll start off the night with that upbeat bluegrass number you do. I've got Kiley to play fiddle. It'll really get the crowd moving."

Deacon nodded his head in agreement. When he entered the house there was some hand shaking at the front door, but he quickly made his excuses that he had to go set up for the show. He was careful not to scan the room too much, keeping his eyes trained on the make shift stage that had been erected in what he could only assume was some sort of ballroom. He glanced at the lyrics to his first song again as the host of the evening was on stage announcing him. He ran out there, and made a quick joke before launching into his first song. Half-way through things were going great, his energy was magnetic. Deacon was rocking out, and the crowd was swaying along to the music. He felt on top of the world, and then he saw her, standing to the left of the stage in between a guy from Big Machine and another from RCA Nashville. She was looking at him like she always used to when they were first together and he'd play a show. She had that look in her eyes that said I'm going to fuck you the moment you get off that stage. Back in the day in spurred him on, made him feel like a million bucks while he was playing, knowing that the moment he was off the stage Rayna's panties would be off, and they'd be going at it in the supply closet of whatever club he was playing that night. Now it just made him nervous. He tried to refocus before his second song, a slow love song he'd written with Pam. He was careful not to sing any songs he'd written for Rayna tonight, he didn't want those old emotions getting in the way.

But it didn't really matter who he'd written the song with, with her there the words just took on a life of their own, and twisted their meaning to match the feelings he was trying hard to deny. He looked up at her and their eyes met for a brief moment before he had to look away. When the song was over everyone clapped and there was a twenty-minute break between artists where Deacon had to do his least favorite part, mingle and sell himself. He was careful to exit stage right and make a bee-line straight for some of the label execs he was interested in talking to. About mid-way through the break he heard her familiar southern lilt and knew she was standing beside him. "Maybe Deacon Claybourne could be a Highway 65 artist."

Deacon turned to look at her. "I don't think so Ray. I made a pact never to work for people that've fired me."

"Come on now Deacon. That was a long time ago, and you know that had nothing to do with what I thought of your playing."

"I know, even more reason why I shouldn't be on Highway 65." Deacon turned back to talk to the guy from UMG Nashville, but it seemed like after 25 years in the business, everyone knew to steer clear of the duo when they got that look in their eyes.

"Now look and see what you did," Deacon nodded towards the exec walking away.

"Well good, you don't want to sign with UMG anyway Deacon."

"Oh, and what makes you so sure of that?"

"I know you Deacon, and that wouldn't be a good fit for you."

Deacon's tone turned from flippant to angry. "What do you know about me Rayna? You've been trying your hardest to push me out of your life for the last two years."

"That's not true Deacon, I never wanted you out of my life. No matter what was going on with us, together, not together, with Luke, alone, I never wanted you to disappear. We have a daughter together. We're family."

"Yeah well, I think you might have a different idea about how you treat family than I do."

"Come on now Deacon, don't be like that. I know you're mad about the last few months, but I'm not with Luke anymore. I didn't marry him. Are you going to punish me for the rest of our lives cause I didn't go running back to you the moment you wanted me to?"

"Cause everything is always about you Ray?! Everything happens when you want it to. I'm tired of it. I can't do it anymore."

"We belong together Deacon, you know that. You said it. Your words. "Maddie, Daphne, you, and me."

Deacon had to get away. He knew she was right. He felt the urge to be one with her rising up inside of him and he didn't want to go back there, he couldn't go back there, not after he'd worked so hard to move on. He shook his head. "No Ray, it's too late."

He put down his guitar and walked out the front door with Rayna hot on his trail. The moment he stepped into the night he realized it was raining pretty hard, but it didn't seem to bother him. He could hear the clop of Rayna's boots on the pavement behind him and he willed himself not to look back. He jumped the fence at the edge of the property and headed into the woods.

Damn, Rayna thought. She paused for a minute thinking of the designer jeans she was wearing, then said 'fuck it' and climbed over the fence as well, running to catch up with him. By the time she did they were in the middle of a wooded area about 100 yards from the house, and they were both soaked to the bone.

Deacon spun around to face her realizing she wasn't going to go away. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins and his voice was raised so she could hear him through the pounding of the rain. "What do you want from me Ray?" Rayna was panting from running, and her eyes got that pleading look in them that he could never resist. "I want us to talk, I want you to give us another shot."

"I've given us a bunch of shots Rayna, you're the one who kept walking away from us. How many times am I supposed to let you break my heart, than just keep coming back to you before it gets pathetic? I'm not going to let you break my heart again Ray. I won't do it."

"I'm not going to break your heart again babe. I promise."

"No Rayna. You hurt me! You chose another man over me! You let me think that you still loved me, that you still wanted me, that we were going to grow old together, and then you chose someone else. Why'd you tell me you were going to come to the Bluebird that night if you knew you were going to pick him?"

"I didn't know that. I thought…I was confused, and I thought I was going to come, to see you, but then I talked to Tandy and she reminded me of all the hurt we'd put each other through. Of how complicated we were. Of how we'd never worked out before, how you'd never stayed sober for more than a few months the whole time we were together and I panicked. I thought I was making the right decision, I thought I wanted stable, easy, uncomplicated, but I was wrong. I want you. I want us."

Deacon shook his head as the water streamed down off his hair and into his eyes. "Why would I do this Rayna, why would I risk my heart again, my sanity, why?" He asked because he was mad, and he wanted to push her away, but he also asked because deep down he wanted her to give a reason, any reason, to stay and try again.

She just stared at him a moment. She couldn't tell if the water streaming down her face was from the rain or her own tears, but she looked up into his blue eyes, clouded with _his_ own tears and gave the only response she could. "Because I love you! Because I've always loved you, and I always will."

Deacon's mind was reeling and his breath was coming quickly now. His body was in full fight or flight, and he had to make a choice, and choose he did. It couldn't have taken him more than a second to cross the short distance between them grabbing her face with his hands and pulling it towards him as he covered her mouth with his own. Rayna was shocked and gulped for air in the short moments between kisses. Her hands reached up to cling to the wet fabric of his flannel, desperately tearing at his buttons as if she'd been in the desert for months, and he was the first water she'd come upon.

Deacon tangled his hands in her wet strands as he devoured her lips, then he pulled her to the ground so they were both on their knees. Rayna pushed his shirt off of his shoulders as they sank, running her hands around his back, one going up to his hair, the other making it's way down into the waistband of his pants. Deacon's mouth slid from hers onto her neck. The rain was really coming down now and it was starting to get muddy, but the moment his tongue reached out to lick that spot on her throat that always drove her wild she lost all ability to concentrate on anything but his touch and the way he felt against her skin.

He held her tight against his body as he lay her backwards on the leaves beneath them. It was early spring, and the chill of winter was behind them, but steam still managed to rise off their bodies as the heat they were creating clashed with the cool Nashville night air. Deacon clawed at her bra pulling it down to reveal her breasts. He took one in his mouth and sucked on it as Rayna squirmed beneath him. She managed to reach around and unbutton his jeans, pulling them down just enough to free him from the confines of his pants and boxers. She touched him, stroking him to the same rhythm as the ministrations of his tongue. Deacon moaned then pulled back just enough to pull Rayna's pants and boots off. "We're going to get so dirty," she panted between moans. "Do you care?" Deacon asked even though he knew he didn't have to. Rayna shook her head and pulled him back to her. Before she could protest again he was inside of her and the only discernable words he heard her say were his name and an exclamation of "Oh god yes," as he buried himself deep within her walls. Rayna's teeth nipped at Deacon's shoulders as he rocked his body against hers bringing her to the point of shear ecstasy, and him right behind her.

By the time they were done the rain had slowed to a drizzle. Deacon rolled over taking Rayna with him. She reached around pulling some leaves off that were stuck to her back. "How are we going to go back in there looking like this?" she asked.

Deacon laughed. "I don't think we're going back in there Ray."

"Your guitar is there remember?"

"I'll call my manager and have him grab it for me."

Rayna nodded for a moment then let out an exasperated chuckle. "I don't have my purse, or my car keys. What did we just do?"

Deacon pulled Rayna's chin up so she was looking into his eyes. "We made love."

Rayna smiled and pushed some of his wet hair, matted by the rain off of his forehead. "Yeah, we did. I love you babe. That ain't ever going to change Deacon Claybourne."

"And against my better judgment Ray, I love you too." Deacon pulled her to her feet as they both adjusted their clothing. Rayna dumped a bucket's full of water out of her left boot. "These boots are ruined." Deacon came up behind her as she was pulling the boot back over her soaking sock. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. "I'll buy you a new pair." Rayna rested her forehead against his and lightly kissed him. "You know…everything feels right again," she said. Deacon just nodded his head in agreement and pulled her tighter against him.

"Come on, we've been out here too long in the cold, time to finally get back to our lives." Deacon took Rayna's hand and pulled her back towards the house, neither of them caring about what anyone else thought anymore. "You are going to sign with Highway 65, right Deacon?"

Deacon smiled, "Oh, was that what that was back there? You're sales pitch to get me to sign with you? Gotta say, pretty impressive. Rayna Jaymes will do anything to sign an artist."

Rayna elbowed him in the side as Deacon feigned being hurt. "Did it work?"

"Yeah, Ray, it worked, but only if I can run the business with you."

"You mean like a joint partnership?"

"Exactly. A joint partnership, two equals making things work together."

"Are we still talking about Highway 65?"

Deacon pulled Rayna into his arms. "We're talking about our lives, you and me, partners, in everything."

Rayna nodded her head and kissed him. "Alright, but I still get all the covers."


End file.
